TWO teens have been banned from going to watch home and away Colchester United matches for three years.

The pair, a 16-year-old from Kelvedon and a 17-year-old from Feering, who cannot be named by law, were among a group of Colchester United fans who fought with a large group of rival Southend United fans before the Boxing Day Essex derby.

The teens had admitted public order offences but contested the Essex Police-led football banning orders.

Yesterday, magistrates decided the incident, which was the largest football-related police investigation in Colchester, merited three-year bans for the pair.

PC Niki Howard, Essex Police’s dedicated football officer for Colchester United, said: “It was a serious incident and it is not a one-off incident and it was a large scale investigation.”

He said banning orders are “entirely effective”, adding: “We know who these individuals are so we are able to police it relatively well.

“I accept the orders are quite large and impactful on people’s lives.

“However, they are completely necessary to prevent football incidents like this.

“It certainly sends a message, which is something I am very keen on doing.

“Those who have been issued [with orders] have not then been seen at any football matches since.”

PC Howard added: “I don’t want this younger group of fans to establish themselves at Colchester United games.

“I want to stop that before it becomes too serious.”

CCTV footage played in court showed Southend fans goading U’s fans from outside the Brewer’s Arms, in Osborne Street.

A small group of Colchester fans, which the two teens were a part of, followed a larger group of Southend fans into Abbeygate Street and the two sides then clash in the residential street. In total, 14 people were arrested.

Under the banning orders, the pair are not allowed to go to the Weston Homes Community Stadium, to Colchester town centre or travel on the route between the two on match days.

They are also banned from going to any town or city where the U’s are playing an away match.

The teens, who appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, were also given youth referral orders and ordered to pay £105 each. Their fathers agreed to pay the money to the court.